Coinciding with the arrival of Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) to investigate the rape and murder of two Shopian women, the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) released the medical report of the member of Majlis Mashawaarat - who was found dead in mysterious circumstances - saying that he had died of ‘organo-phosphorus poisoning.’

The medical report, which was received by, Shopian police on Thursday has made it clear that Mohammad Hussein Zargar, a member of Majlis Mashawaarat, the organization spearheading the protests to seek justice for Nilofar and Asiya Jan who were raped and murdered in May - has died of poisoning.

“Now that the cause of the death is organo-phosphorus poisoning, we will carry the investigations forward accordingly,” Superintendent of Police, Shopian Shahid Mehraj told The Indian Express.

Zargar, a property dealer had gone missing on September 5 and his body was found in an apple orchard on September 9 on the outskirts of Shopian town.

After the body was recovered protests had broken out in the town and many people linked the mysterious death of Zargar with the rape and murder of the two women.

A team of doctors from the Government Medical College, Srinagar and experts from the Forensic Scientific Laboratory later conducted the post-mortem on Zargar’s body on September 10.

Police sources said that the FSL had submitted the preliminary autopsy report to the police which had divulged the details about the condition in which the body was recovered.

“However, the opinion on the cause of death was initially reserved and the final medical report was submitted only on Thursday,” sources said. After the medical report confirmed that Zargar has died of poisoning, the police are now working on various other details.

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